Bee comb frame construction



Jan. 11, 1949. G. DUNHAM BEE COMB FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27. 1945 mil llH I II .nl

Illlll I ,F/I/enfor' flan/7am fl/forms z s Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEE COMB FRAME CONSTRUCTION Guy Dunham, Bono, Ark.

Application April 2'1, 1945, Serial No. 590,531

f -The present invention relates to newand use- 2 Claims.

comb or foundation to support the same in positionin the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame construction embodying end frame members beveled in a manner to provide a passageway for the bees between the frames.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bee comb frame construction of a simple and practical nature, in which the comb or foundation may be easily and quickly placed in position and removed from the frame without danger of injury thereto, and which at the same ,,.time is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and op ration as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the top rail taken substantially on a line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the comb or foundation secured in position therein.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the top frame member of the bee combframe, while the numeral 6 represents the bottom frame member and the numerals 1 and 8 designate the end frame members.

The upper ends of the end frame members 1 and 8 are each formed with a notch 9 in which is seated the reduced extension ID at each of the ends of the top frame member 5 to secure the top frame member flush with the upper ends of the end members by means of nails or brads ll.

As shown to advantage in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the reduced ends Ill of the top frame member 5 project outwardly beyond the end frame members I and 8 to provide supports for the frame when positioned in a beehive.

One side edge of each of the end frame memhers I and 8 is tapered toward its lower end, as

indicated at l2, to gradually reduce the width of the end members toward their lower ends and the bottom frame member 6 has its end portions rabbeted in the lower ends of the end frame members l and 8, as indicated at I3 in Figure 4 of the drawing, flush with the lower ends of the end frame members and secured thereto by means of nails or brads M.

The tapering lower portions of the end frame members I and 8 are arranged at opposite sides of the frame, as indicated in Figure 3 of the drawing, and the lower end of the tapering formation terminates in a plane with the adjacent edge of the bottom frame member 6, so that when a plurality of the frames are positioned in a beehive in side-by-side relation, a passageway is formed between adjacent frames at their lower portions.

The tapered edge I2 of the end frame members is also beveled, as indicated at l5, at the outer surfaces of the end frame members, the depth of the beveling being increased toward the bottom of the frame.

The bottom surface of the top frame member 5 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot l6 adapted to receive the upper edge of the wax bee comb or foundation I! for placing in position within the frame.

The edges of the upper frame member 5 at the lower surface of said frame member are beveled, as indicated at H3, at a point adjacent the opposite sides of the groove I6.

One side of the top frame member 5 is also formed with a longitudinally extending slot or groove H! which terminates at its inner end adjacent the inner end of the vertical slot or groove I6 to thus provide a strip of material 20 at one lower side edge of the top frame member 5 between the slots l6 and I9 and which is connected to the top frame member by a relatively narrow connecting web 2|.

The frame is preferably constructed of relatively soft wood so that the strip 20 may flex at its connecting web 2| upwardly into a position not shown, to open the slot I6 for facilitating the insertion of the upper edge of the foundation l1 therein. After the insertion of the foundation in the slot IS, the strip 20 is then returned to its normal position, as shown by the full lines in Figures 5 and 6, and the strip is then secured in position against flexing movement by means of nails or brads 22 inserted while upward flexing of strip 20 is prevented and the foundation is then firmly held in position in the frame.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided an improved bee comb frame which is simple in construction, rigid and durable, and one wherein much time and labor is saved when inserting a foundation therein.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described, andthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a bee comb frame comprising substantially horizontal top and bottom frame anembers and. upright end frame members secured tothe ends of the latter, and the horizontal top member having a downwardly-directed: openfllongitudinal slot in the intermediate portion of the bottom surface thereof for receiving the upper edge of a bee comb, the features which include outwardly and upwardly-beveled edges'oneither side of the downwardly-directed slot upon said bottom surface of said top member, and having a second, horizontally inwardly-extending, longitudinal open slot in one side of said horizontal top member disposed substantially at a right angle to said downwardly-directed open slot and with the latter defining a yielding strip connected to the remaining portion of said horizontal top member by a thin web'limited to'the inner ad- 'jacent ends of both slots, the yielding strip being manually flexed to open and close said downwardly-directed open'slot tov facilitate insertion of the upper edge of said bee comb therein, and means for connecting said yielding strip to said remaining portion of said horizontal top member and bridging said second horizontally inwardly-extending slot to secure-said yielding strip in fixed position.

-;portion extending downwardly from a point a short distance below the upper end of each of said oneside edge of said one end frame member the respectively adjacent side edge of said bottom and said opposite side edge of the other end frame member and terminating at the bottom flush with frame member, the tapering side upon each end frame member being beveled upon the outer edge thereof and the tapering and beveled side upon *ea'ch end frame-member forming the 'eutaway *clearanceportiom thereon.

KEFERENGESfLGITED The following references are of .record in"the file ..of this .patent:

UNITED ESTATE-S PATENTS Number "Name Date 161,138 Mayo Mar.t."23, :1875 l';014,171 'JPe'rkins' 'Jan.9,'1912 f 1,411,094 Hartman Mar. 28,1922 1,947,706 Frater Fb. 20,1934

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 16,109 Australia 1928 

